Bates fears backlash from drop in players

The number of people playing the sport in the country where the game was invented, has dropped by more than 50 per cent in the last eight years - from 6.1 million to 2.9 million.

"And that's during a period when we've had two guys [Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski] at the top of the sport, who have brought the game more publicity than probably ever before," Bates said.

Much of the drop is due to a drastic reduction in the number of girls taking up the sport. It is no surprise that Bates, in his role as manager of men's national training for the Lawn Tennis Association, has echoed the recurring message by former performance director Patrice Hagelauer that British tennis desperately needs more players - and more opportunities for them to take tennis seriously.

Like Hagelauer, who recently resigned to become coach to the France Davis Cup team, Bates believes a revitalised future in Britain rests with clubs.

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In the last two years, 100 new Performance Clubs have been identified. Bates, who is responsible for the training, schedules and coaching arrangements for male players aged 16 and over, wants that to become 1,000.

"What we're trying to create is a production line of tennis players," he said. "Tennis has to be both appealing and accessible to them. The system Patrice introduced is the way to go. We need a very strong club basis."

Bates, as significant a member of British Davis Cup teams 10 years ago as Henman is today, was talking as British rookies Alan Mackin and Alex Bogdanovic waited to be plunged into action, in the absence of the injured Henman, Rusedski and Martin Lee, against Mark Philippoussis and world No 1 Lleyton Hewitt in the two opening singles rubbers of the World Group first-round match against Australia.

"We need kids to get into clubs where they should be able to play singles, be given the right amount of competition for their age, plus good coaching," he said. "Most importantly they should discover that tennis is fun for them. We need our clubs to be more like those in Europe where they are not just for sport but are also places for young people to hang out with their friends. They have to be more relevant to today.

Bates takes encouragement from the belief that juniors coming under his jurisdiction have a more professional attitude to their work and stressed the significance of physical competence.

"Physical fitness is one of my hobby horses," he said. "I was first introduced to serious training by Warren Jacques [a former Davis Cup captain] when I was in my mid-20's. You need to have that approach much earlier than that. The biggest benefit is the mental benefit you get from putting in the grind. What you put in, you get out at the other end."

Bates is in no doubt that Mackin and Bogdanovic, in particular, are determined to reach the top. "You can only get satisfaction from working with people who want it more than you do and those two guys want it."

He cited how Bogdanovic has spent hours this week watching Hewitt practise. "He and Alan are aspiring to be the best and it's a great help just watching people like that."

Bates has no argument with those who criticise him or the LTA for the current situation, though becomes frustrated when such criticism is not borne out by facts. Much is made of the money (£26 million this year) that British tennis gets from Wimbledon, although this is less than French tennis received from national and local government in grants to clubs.

He also points out that the LTA provide funding to more players than ever, whether in official LTA squads or working with private coaches. The LTA, through their Matrix system, which gives players medical insurance and graded funding according to ranking and performance targets, is supporting players with private British coaches but also some training in Spain and at Nick Bollettieri's camp in Florida.